Dear Students and Colleagues, 

It is with great enthusiasm that I introduce Forward with Purpose: Temple University’s Strategic Plan. The plan was officially approved during the public session of today’s Board of Trustees meeting. 

The strategic planning process first began in February 2025, and it was originally designed to build upon the university’s 2022 Strategic Plan, ensuring that our institutional priorities aligned with the evolving needs of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and the surrounding North Philadelphia community. Just as important, this process was aimed toward further enhancing and investing in the academic excellence of the university. 

Thanks to the hard work of our Strategic Plan Steering Committee, Executive Committee and more than 2,000 members of the Temple community who contributed their ideas to this process, I am pleased to share that we now have the blueprint that will allow us to meet these needs, both now and well into the future. I believe that Temple has all the necessary academic assets to become one of the most consequential urban research universities in the nation, and with this plan, we now have the roadmap to help us achieve that goal as we drive toward our 150th anniversary in 2034. 

The new plan has been organized around three priorities: Student Success, Research in Action and Place-based Impact. Additionally, a set of three foundational principles—Innovation for Excellence, Partnerships, and Operational and Financial Strength—will span our work across the priorities and build the foundation needed to achieve our objectives. Included within this plan is Building Connections, a campus development plan that helps us envision the physical environment that will support the Strategic Plan. The plan was also shaped by the input of faculty, students, staff and neighbors during in-person workshops and meetings. 

I want to thank Interim Provost David Boardman as well as Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives Richard Souvenir, who co-chaired the Strategic Planning Executive Committee. I also would like to thank the Project Delivery Group and its Associate Vice President Martin Droz and Assistant Vice President James Templeton, Vice President for Planning and Capital Projects Gennaro Leva, Vice President for Business Affairs and Administration Jonathan Reiter, and our external partners at Sasaki Strategies for their work in helping to create a campus development plan that serves as such a complementary piece to the Strategic Plan. 

Now, the real work begins. While some of the initiatives within this plan are already underway, in the weeks and months to come, we will begin the broader implementation process. We will soon be hosting a series of events, which will provide an opportunity to learn more about the plan and how you can get involved. In particular, I look forward to the deep involvement of our faculty in the implementation of these academic and student success strategies. 

The future of Temple University is bright, and I look forward to partnering with you all as we continue the important work of fulfilling Temple University’s historic mission. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President